


Lost Travellers

by Daegaer



Category: Alexander Trilogy - Mary Renault, Star Wars
Genre: AU, Aliens, Crossover, Friendship, Gen, Hunting, Macedonians, Persians, Wookies, hellenistic science, travellers' tales, written in 2005
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-13
Updated: 2010-09-13
Packaged: 2017-10-11 18:42:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/115688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daegaer/pseuds/Daegaer





	Lost Travellers

Bagoas was talking as Hephaistion came into the tent, shaking the snow from his cloak at the entrance.

"They call this pass the Killer of Men, Iskander," Bagoas said, his eyes round with the pleasure of telling stories.

"I hope it hasn't killed too many of mine?" Alexander said in amusement as Hephaistion filled two cups with the wine standing ready.

"No, nothing to fear on that score," Hephaistion said, hiding a frown as Bagoas took the cup he held out, passing it on to Alexander with a graceful bow. "The soldiers' wives and whores aren't faring so well, however. I gave the order that any rations we can spare be portioned out."

"Good," Alexander said. "We'll be down from this place as quickly as we can. We'll have no time to go searching out your monster, Bagoas."

"Monster?" Hephaistion said, with a smile.

"The mountains harbour a fearsome breed of creature shaped like a man, but covered in fur from head to foot," Alexander laughed. "Bagoas was telling me of it before you came in."

"Lord Hephaistion does not wish to hear my poor tales," Bagoas murmured, refilling their cups, and falling silent once more.

Hephaistion smiled politely. He was glad the boy understood that.

 

* * *

 

The day they started to descend, wild goats were sighted and permission was given for the briefest of hunts to be held. None of the officers saw much merit in the endeavour, for not enough meat could possibly be won to make it worthwhile. Hephaistion, however, saw that Alexander wanted it to be known that he had held a hunt here, on the roof of the world, and was glad to join his friend in the sport. The paths were not that much more difficult than mountain paths in Macedon in the deepest winter, he thought, hurling a javelin at a goat and cursing as it skipped uncaring away on a path only its yellow eyes could discern. Taking an unwary step sideways to throw another javelin, he felt his foot slip from under him, and then he was falling, hearing the alarmed cries of the others from above. He struck his head, and all was dark.

He awoke to twilight, and slowly realised he was lying neither on the mountainside nor in a tent, but in what seemed to be a cave. He was lying on a blanket, covered over with another, and a third piece of folded cloth lay under his head. Cautiously, he sat up. The cave swayed and shook alarmingly in his sight. Holding on to the rough stone of the wall he climbed to his feet and stood, breathing heavily as he fought down nausea. He needed merely to control himself, he thought, and somehow tell those who had found him that they must bring him back to the army. As he thought that, he heard a heavy step outside and realised that his benefactors had returned.

An immensely tall man entered. In the gloom of the cave Hephaistion at first thought he was wearing a tunic and trousers of goatskin with the winter hair left on for warmth. Then he saw it was no clothing, but the creature's own hair, and that the face was unlike that of a man, but was more that of a beast. He stepped back quickly, his hand going instinctively to his side only to find neither sword nor spear. Weakness overcame him, his head swimming. Before he could react, the creature had come across the cave and had lifted him gently, putting him back upon the blankets. It gave a low moaning sort of cry, as if to chastise his impetuousness, and retreated back across the cave where it crouched down, watching him.

"By Zeus!" he breathed. "What are you?"

It made no answer except a breathy low groan. Hephaistion kept his eyes on it, his breath coming fast and short. It seemed that not all Bagoas' stories were idle amusements, he thought. This thing was like no creature he had ever dreamt might exist, and he wondered what Aristotle would say about it. No doubt the philosopher would chastise him in his letters if he sent word of it and did not send its skin also. _Taller than a tall man by at least a head and a half_ , he thought, seeking to fix a description of the creature in his mind to send back to Macedon. _Its fur is brown and black, it wears no clothes other than a belt across its body, and its face is as if the natures of a man and a dog were mixed in it. It has fangs; it makes a mournful cry._ The creature gazed upon him solemnly, standing at last and walking to a bag of some kind lying against the far wall. It withdrew a small, square item, and came closer. Breaking the item in two, it nibbled at one half, and then tossed the other to Hephaistion. Picking it up he found it had a not unpleasant smell, and, as he raised it cautiously to his mouth a mild and sweet taste. Suddenly ravenous, he ate it quickly, finding that though it was small it lay heavily in his stomach, satisfying him as if he had eaten a full meal. The creature made its low cry again, as if approving of his actions. It went to its bag again, withdrawing items Hephaistion could make no sense of. For what seemed like an eternity it played with these items, making sparks somehow light about them. At last the largest item made some unearthly noises, like the crackle and hiss of flames, interspersed somehow with speech in a language unknown to Hephaistion. At this the creature made a noise like a hissing hitch in its breath, and Hephaistion fancied it was laughing. Finally, although he thought he could not be at ease enough to rest, he drifted into a shallow doze, all his dreams being of the creature and its uncanny playthings.

When he woke again, the creature was standing over him, another piece of its food in its hand. When he had eaten, it nodded and pointed toward the cave door, moaning softly. He saw its bag was slung across its back, and that it carried a metal stick on a strap slung across its body. Before he could roll aside it bent and picked him up in its arms as if he weighed nothing, wrapping him in the blankets and then striding out the door. Its long stride covered the ground quickly, the rocking movement lulling Hephaistion into a daze. At length it reached a large flat clearing and gently laid him on the ground beside what seemed to be a trail, patting his shoulder. Quickly gathering some branches, it piled them close to Hephaistion, and pointed its metal stick at them. With a noise like the air tearing, flame shot from the end of the stick, and set the branches on fire. The creature gave one of its moans, and patted at Hephaistion again before taking out its plaything of the night before and crying more loudly at it. The thing chattered and squealed, a man's voice saying unknown things. The creature gave a series of short, impatient barks, and strode back and forth, its face turned up towards the sky.

Hephaistion had almost fallen into his sickly doze again when the creature roared loudly, raising its arms in what seemed like jubilation. To his astonishment and fear, what seemed at first sight to be some sort of building came down out of the sky, the air shimmering beneath it as if in a heat mirage, though the day was very cold. With a heavy, awkward noise the great thing settled on the ground, and a door opened within it, a ramp clanking down. Not knowing what might come from such a thing, Hephaistion was bewildered to see a man of ordinary height and appearance run down the ramp, calling out. The creature made its hitching laugh, and clapped the man on the shoulder, as any man might greet a friend. The man staggered under the blow, laughing and speaking fast.

"Who are you? What is this creature?" Hephaistion said urgently.

The man nodded at him casually, saying things he could not understand, the creature replying in quiet cries. Finally the man shrugged, and jogged back up the ramp. The creature hurriedly piled some more branches on the fire, and pressed another cake of its food into Hephaistion's hand. It bared its teeth in a way he saw suddenly was a smile, and pointed up the trail, huffing and moaning. Then it turned and ran up the ramp, which raised itself, the door slamming shut. With a loud roar the building - the chariot, Hephaistion realised - lifted up and was soon but a speck far above him.

From up the trail, Hephaistion heard shouts and screams as the chariot vanished completely from sight. After another moment he knew he was hearing Greek. Fighting his way to his feet, he lifted one of the blankets and waved it to and fro, until he was sure the outriders had seen him. Then he wrapped it about himself and leaned against a tree, staring up into the colourless sky and wondering that the immortals had seen fit to show themselves in such a guise.


End file.
